TSU spring football: New coach looking at 3 QBs

TSU head football coach Clarence McKinney addresses the media during the press conference to announce Clarence McKinney as the new head football coach at Texas Southern University in Houston, TX on Monday, December 3, 2018.

Photo: Tim Warner, Contributor

Texas Southern is trying to get back to being competitive again in football. That's why in early December they hired a new coach in Clarence McKinney, who has deep Houston ties, and has been of the staff of Houston, Texas A&M, and most recently Arizona.

On Sunday, TSU completed its first spring football under the guidance of McKinney, a former head coach at Yates.

"Overall, it went well," McKinney said. "Our quarterbacks were really competitive, we're shuffling guys in the offensive line trying to find the right combination, and then we found a guy we feel like can help us in our running game."

Devin Williams, DeAndre Johnson and Brysen McKinney are the only three quarterbacks on the roster and all went through spring practice. Each has a skill set that coach McKinney appreciates.

Johnson, a senior transfer from Florida Atlantic, and McKinney, a freshman from Mansfield Summit, are newcomers. Williams a 5-10, 180-pound redshirt junior, played four games during last year's 2-9 season.

"He's a guy who's been around here and knows his teammates more, and he took on a leadership role in the spring," McKinney said.

Johnson, 6-0, 205, has the physical tools.

"He can throw the ball, he can run the ball," McKinney said. "He has to get to know the team better so they can rally behind him."

The most athletic of the three is McKinney, 6-1, 185, who graduated high school early and is being looked at as the quarterback of the future.

Benjamin Hawkins, a senior walk-on from Dekaney, stepped up in the spring and made his presence known in the backfield.

"He has showed us that he deserves an opportunity to be our starting running back," McKinney said.

Making an impression in the spring was wide receiver Montel Parker, 6-1, 198, a Texas A&M transfer, who was formerly a four-star recruit from Dickinson.

"He had a really good spring," McKinney said. "He caught the ball well, he ran some really good routes, he competed out there and we're looking forward to having Montel catch a lot of balls and score touchdowns."

Other receivers who McKinney said looked sharp over the 15 practice sessions were Donnie Corley Jr., Kee'len Davis and Roylain Oliver.

The offensive line, which is a work in progress, is anchored by Dominic Deriggi, a senior from North Shore.

"And the guy we're really excited about is Jimmy White, who was a defensive lineman last year but we've moved him to the offensive line," McKinney said. "Jimmy's a really good football player."

De'Andre Johnson started his college career at Florida State but is now with TSU.

Photo: Stacy Revere/Getty Images

White's move to offense was the most significant position switch of the spring for the Tigers.

Last season, the Tigers averaged 341.4 yards per game, but managed only 185 yards in a season-ending 60-14 drubbing at the hands of Prairie View A&M.

"At this time of the year, offensively, we're about where I expected us to be," McKinney said. "So I didn't expect to come out being as good as we can be. We do have some weapons that if we do get on the same page, we'll have a chance to be an exciting offense."

Showcasing their skills on defense were linemen Ikeena Onwuasoanya, Baylor transfer Michael Johnson, SMU transfer Michael Badejo, and fifth-year senior Jarryl Taylor, who was solid and the most consistent of the linemen.

Onwuasoanya, from Bellaire, was perhaps the most pleasant surprise in the practices.

"He didn't play a lot last season," McKinney said. "I don't know what the situation was, but this spring he's stepped up and showed that he deserves to play."

McKinney was intrigued about the TSU head coaching position. The timing was right. He has an elderly father who he wanted to spend more time with, and McKinney was challenged by the situation. The Tigers were a dismal 8-25, 7-16 in the SWAC in three years under Michael Haywood, who resigned days after the loss at Prairie View.

"There hasn't been a championship around here in a long time," said McKinney, who isn't going to predict the upcoming season. "What we want to do is put a quality product on the field and know that our guys are going to play hard."

The 2019 roster is not totally set.

"We know around the country there are a lot of disgruntled players, jumping in the NCAA transfer portal," McKinney said. "And we're going to take a peek and see if there's a guy or two that we may be able to bring in this summer. We're definitely looking at the portal."